It turns out all of the issues were caused by me. I’ve turned several more of these kits since and they’ve been flawless. This is one of my favorite bridge kits. I call it that because it bridges the space between kit pen and Bespoke pen. With Bespoke pens, one of the first questions is, can you make them out of wood? With this kit you can. Regards, Bob
Nothing's a mistake unless you can't fix it. As a new turner, I appreciate you showing the hurdles for us all to learn from. Wish I had the luxury of having as many different timber species and pen kits to choose from here in New Zealand. So pleased your back running this channel once again Bob, (my favorite on channel on RUclips!) Cheers Kev
Thank you Kev, I’ve been enjoying myself again with the channel. I got a little burned out before so I’m pacing myself to avoid that a second time. Regards, Bob
So glad to see you turning this kit! Kate at bullseye is good people and the apollo and artemis kits are a nice segway into the closed end pens without having to purchase all the stuff needed for bespoke. I look forward to seeing you do another one of these!
I love turning the Apollo and hanging out with the Bullseye folks at shows. They're awesome. That's such a great looking pen. I've only turned resin-only Apollos and Artemis pens. The wood Apollo certainly had it's set of unique considerations, but turned out amazingly.
That bit with the step in it is called a center drill. It's used to drill a tapered hole in the end of a shaft so you can support it with a lathe center.
Great video bob! You made me realize that the instructions for the updated Apollo are on the website but lots of folks still have the legacy design. I’ll get the legacy instructions back up!
Hello Kate, I received the new line of kits today and they look amazing. I can’t wait to turn them. I also want to say thank you for the Hemp blanks. I’m gonna have some Interesting videos coming soon. Regards, Bob
The first pen made is always frustrating as you are learning. Thanks for letting in your shop to watch. I have been looking at these kits and even the kitless.
Thank you Phillip, It was a challenging pen to make mostly because I was figuring it out for the first time. Now that I’ve made one, the next should be much easier. I enjoyed the challenge. 😃 Regards, Bob
I don’t think this is the world’s best video for attempting to sell the Apollo III pen kit. Glad you were able to iron out all the bugs and kinks, but what a pain in the butt!
I think the pain may have been in my misunderstanding of the pen kit. I’ve done several more since and now that I understand them they are a solid kit worth the money and the time. I’m a huge fan. Regards, Bob
Wow! That was quite an epic journey! I love the fact that you included all the challenges you faced and the work arounds you had to do to complete the pen. Persistence pays off and the pen looks beautiful. One great aspect about this pen is that all the beauty lies in the burl itself, uninterrupted by exterior components. Blessings, Glen
Hi Bob, That certainly was a challenging pen to make. I really like the end result and it's up there with my favourite pens I have seen you turn. Take care Bob. Cheers, Huw
Thank you Tommie, I’ve used the Aussie oil on several projects, I really like it. The finish is easy to use and looks amazing. Thank you again for sending it to me. E-cards, Bob Regards, Bob
Great kit from Kate. What also interests me was the dry sanding micro mesh, followed by the Aussie Oil finish. I have a love hate relationship with using CA and I think my next turning I will try this. You achieved a beautiful and natural (even somewhat glossy finish) without the negatives I find with CA (ridges, too plastic looking, fumes, etc.). Look forward to trying that. 👍🏼
The Artemis and Apollo are nice kits and I have made several and the cap liner should be drilled and inserted 1/8 inch deeper than it says to reduce the compression and fit issue. I use the mandrel to insert the cap liner to get that extra 1/8 inch. Also put a pin hole in the end of the liner before gluing to make inserting easier since you are trapping air behind it. CJ
Bob, great troubleshooing skills and wonderful results! I didn't catch what type of wood that was. It almost looks like a reverse flame box elder. Keep turning!! Slim
I turned my first Apollo this week and it WAS challenging. In fact, it came out a mess, but I expected a few issues on my first one. No way I would sell or even give it away, so now I've got another nice fountain pen! Good think I bought several Apollo kits!
Thanks for another great video Bob. I have a few Apollos and Artemis kits (and the collet & mandrels) but haven't jumped in just yet. This video and the fact that you shared all the bumps in the road along the way is making me more comfortable thinking about making one. I gotta go into it knowing I'm likely going to have a few challenges, but your video has pointed out things I'm sure I would have gotten caught on and more importantly what to do about it. Thanks!
Just thinking that a 3 jaw chuck would work just as well as a collet chuck as we got our lathe my dad bought a 3 jaw chuck, i do use it to hold bottle opener mandrel
I don’t see any reason why a 3-jaw wouldn’t work just as well as a collet chuck. I’d give it a try before considering spending the cash on the collet chuck. Regards, Bob
Question about the PSI collet chuck, would you buy it again, are you happy with it? That blank reminded me of the time I turned some spalted maple, and as I got closer to the final shape the spalting was almost totally gone!
Hi Bob 👋 👋 👋 👋 its to bad you don't have some of the dyed CA glue I bought some a my local Woodcraft store today I bought the dark brown its almost black but they do have other colors I saw some red,blue,and I think they have yellow. So maybe you can buy for Future use I don't have any idea as of the Shelf life. Hope this is of use for you.
Bob you think that the manufacturer would use metal on all those parts that you have to turn down. Im wondering if you could complain to the man about what you encountered that maybe they could how they make them. Also you did a great job the pen 🖊.
Hello Ray, The parts seem to be of good quality. Making them out of metal would be a price increase for the kit and may put it out of the buying range of many people. When I made a second and third of this pen, I didn’t have the same troubles so I have to assume I was part of the problem. Regards, Bob
Is there a reason why you didnt turn the entire blank at once? You mocked it up as one piece why not turn the whole thing at once? Your fit and finish would have been perfect that way. Would love to see a video with that method.
There is a mandrel for the cap and one for the body. I guess you could turn it between centers. I just never put any thought into turning them that way. Regards, Bob
Well Bob I liked the way the pen turned out but I wouldn't buy that kit because of all the things went through to get everything Aligned its just to much work for me. And again great job.
You know what would stop that from happening is a soft plastic washer bet😢the pen cap and the mandrel stop it makes it so it’s not so tight on the mandrel
Aluminum would be a cool option. I’ll be making another of this style pen very soon. I think it will go much smoother as I now have some practice. Regards, Bob
Wow that had surprise after surprise! I wouldve given up long ago and chucked it through the window - great job sir, and great display of perseverance
It turns out all of the issues were caused by me. I’ve turned several more of these kits since and they’ve been flawless.
This is one of my favorite bridge kits. I call it that because it bridges the space between kit pen and Bespoke pen.
With Bespoke pens, one of the first questions is, can you make them out of wood? With this kit you can.
Regards,
Bob
Nothing's a mistake unless you can't fix it. As a new turner, I appreciate you showing the hurdles for us all to learn from.
Wish I had the luxury of having as many different timber species and pen kits to choose from here in New Zealand.
So pleased your back running this channel once again Bob, (my favorite on channel on RUclips!)
Cheers Kev
Thank you Kev,
I’ve been enjoying myself again with the channel. I got a little burned out before so I’m pacing myself to avoid that a second time.
Regards,
Bob
I like how you show the mistake and how to fix it. Thanks.
Thank you, it’s all about teaching and none of us are perfect, we all make mistakes.
Regards,
Bob
Well done Bob,great bit of problem solving! Stunning result🤯👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍😎😎😎😎😎
Thank you Alan, I couldn’t let this one get the better of me. I had to finish it.
Regards,
Bob
Nice pen. It's great how you think on your feet, and fix issues. Have a great day.
Thank you Paul,
I enjoy the pens more when I have challenges turning them. The problem solving is the best part.
Regards,
Bob
So glad to see you turning this kit! Kate at bullseye is good people and the apollo and artemis kits are a nice segway into the closed end pens without having to purchase all the stuff needed for bespoke. I look forward to seeing you do another one of these!
Thank you Brian,
I do have two more kits to turn.
Regards,
Bob
That is one of the most challenging pen turns I've seen in a long time. Loved the troubleshooting and problem solving. Excellent video! Thanks much K.
Thank you Kellÿ.
It was challenging but in the end it was worth it.
Regards,
Bob
I love turning the Apollo and hanging out with the Bullseye folks at shows. They're awesome. That's such a great looking pen. I've only turned resin-only Apollos and Artemis pens. The wood Apollo certainly had it's set of unique considerations, but turned out amazingly.
Thank you Robert,
I’ve been turning so much acrylic lately that I needed to make a wood pen to break the monotony. 😃
Regards,
Bob
That bit with the step in it is called a center drill. It's used to drill a tapered hole in the end of a shaft so you can support it with a lathe center.
Thank you.
Great video bob! You made me realize that the instructions for the updated Apollo are on the website but lots of folks still have the legacy design. I’ll get the legacy instructions back up!
That would be amazing as I have two more of them to turn. 😃
Regards,
Bob
@@RJBWoodTurner the new ones are made in the USA and triple start threads. I send some over for you to play with
Kate
@@bullseyeturningsupply Thank you Kate,
That would be AMAZING!
Regards,
Bob
Hello Kate,
I received the new line of kits today and they look amazing. I can’t wait to turn them. I also want to say thank you for the Hemp blanks. I’m gonna have some Interesting videos coming soon.
Regards,
Bob
Love how you think through issues and explain solutions !
Thank you Bob,
This was fun and challenging pen to turn. I really enjoyed making it.
Regards,
Bob
Wow, that was a challenge. I wouldn't have thought to have trimmed down those threads. Nice save. Thanks!
Thank you Derek.
Regards,
Bob
The first pen made is always frustrating as you are learning. Thanks for letting in your shop to watch. I have been looking at these kits and even the kitless.
Thank you Adam.
I’m much better prepared to turn the next one of these. 😃
Regards,
Bob
Hi Bob, nice job on the pen, certainly some challengers there that you overcame.
Thank you Phillip,
It was a challenging pen to make mostly because I was figuring it out for the first time. Now that I’ve made one, the next should be much easier. I enjoyed the challenge. 😃
Regards,
Bob
I don’t think this is the world’s best video for attempting to sell the Apollo III pen kit. Glad you were able to iron out all the bugs and kinks, but what a pain in the butt!
I think the pain may have been in my misunderstanding of the pen kit. I’ve done several more since and now that I understand them they are a solid kit worth the money and the time. I’m a huge fan.
Regards,
Bob
Another great, well put together video full of useful information and encouragement. Thank you!
Thank you,
I appreciate you watching and am happy you enjoyed the video.
Regards,
Bob
Wow! That was quite an epic journey! I love the fact that you included all the challenges you faced and the work arounds you had to do to complete the pen. Persistence pays off and the pen looks beautiful. One great aspect about this pen is that all the beauty lies in the burl itself, uninterrupted by exterior components. Blessings, Glen
Thank you Glen, this was a challenge to turn but it definitely was worth it.
thx for sharing your challenges and pitfalls... and how you overcame them to create such a nice pen!
Thank you for watching. 😃
Regards,
Bob
I'm just getting into turning pens and it is the most beneficial getting to see and learn from mistakes. Thanks for showing them. Stay awesome.
Thank you Adam, we all make mistakes, no matter how many pens we turn. Learning to fix those errors and move on is the real lesson.
Regards,
Bob
Man Bob that is an absolutely stunning blank! Fantastic work as always.
Thank you Kevin,
I was excited to turn this blank because I couldn’t tell what it would look like from the outside.
Regards,
Bob
Great learning video. I to yearn for the more challenging kit. Thanks for sharing this.
Thank you Bob,
This kit is a challenge but it’s a good challenge and we’ll worth the effort.
Regards,
Bob
Great job buddy im still learning as I go I learn alot from you thank you.
Thank you Larry.
Regards,
Bob
Hi Bob, That certainly was a challenging pen to make.
I really like the end result and it's up there with my favourite pens I have seen you turn.
Take care Bob.
Cheers, Huw
Thank you Huw.
Regards,
Bob
...wow!...was that a lot of work!...but in the end, it made a gorgeous pen...very well done...👍
Matt
Thank you Matt,
It was worth the effort.
Regards,
Bob
Love that pen. Thanks for sharing the whole process.
Thank you for watching Missy.
Regards,
Bob
Bobby B always pulling out the tricks for fixes!
Thank you Jay.
Regards,
Bob
Awesome looking blank. I was surprised by the look of the bank. I had no idea it would look the great because of what it looked like before turning.
It always amazes me how a horrible looking blank can turn so beautifully. It’s one of my favorite parts of pen turning.
Regards,
Bob
Love this video.. Great looking pen. Great problem solving. Good old Aussie oil. I love the smell of it.
Thank you Tommie,
I’ve used the Aussie oil on several projects, I really like it. The finish is easy to use and looks amazing. Thank you again for sending it to me.
E-cards,
Bob
Regards,
Bob
I've used the ausie oil on most my wooden blanks it works really well for me.
Aussie Oil is good stuff.
Regards,
Bob
Great kit from Kate. What also interests me was the dry sanding micro mesh, followed by the Aussie Oil finish. I have a love hate relationship with using CA and I think my next turning I will try this. You achieved a beautiful and natural (even somewhat glossy finish) without the negatives I find with CA (ridges, too plastic looking, fumes, etc.). Look forward to trying that. 👍🏼
I love Aussie oil, only issue is if you use the pen every day it will wear the finish off quickly.
Regards,
Bob
I'll have to give that a try. That is some pretty wood.
Thank you Angi,
Not sure what it is other than dates burl.
Regards,
Bob
The Artemis and Apollo are nice kits and I have made several and the cap liner should be drilled and inserted 1/8 inch deeper than it says to reduce the compression and fit issue. I use the mandrel to insert the cap liner to get that extra 1/8 inch. Also put a pin hole in the end of the liner before gluing to make inserting easier since you are trapping air behind it.
CJ
Great info CJ,
Thank you. I have two more kits to turn.
Regards,
Bob
Bob, great troubleshooing skills and wonderful results! I didn't catch what type of wood that was. It almost looks like a reverse flame box elder. Keep turning!! Slim
It’s a piece of dyed burl. The guy I got it from didn’t know what wood it was.
Regards,
Bob
Looks like either Box Elder or Black Ash…dyed of course.
I turned my first Apollo this week and it WAS challenging. In fact, it came out a mess, but I expected a few issues on my first one. No way I would sell or even give it away, so now I've got another nice fountain pen! Good think I bought several Apollo kits!
LOL,
My first was a Wreck too.
I haven’t forgot about sending you the blanks to stabilize, I’ve just been crazy busy.
Regards,
Bob
Thanks for another great video Bob. I have a few Apollos and Artemis kits (and the collet & mandrels) but haven't jumped in just yet. This video and the fact that you shared all the bumps in the road along the way is making me more comfortable thinking about making one. I gotta go into it knowing I'm likely going to have a few challenges, but your video has pointed out things I'm sure I would have gotten caught on and more importantly what to do about it. Thanks!
Thank you David,
You should definitely go for it and turn them. I waited over a year to turn this pen. Now I’m sorry I did.
Regards,
Bob
Just thinking that a 3 jaw chuck would work just as well as a collet chuck as we got our lathe my dad bought a 3 jaw chuck, i do use it to hold bottle opener mandrel
I don’t see any reason why a 3-jaw wouldn’t work just as well as a collet chuck. I’d give it a try before considering spending the cash on the collet chuck.
Regards,
Bob
Don't forget to shake that Aussie oil really good I use this stuff and it leaves a nice shine.
Thank you Ray,
I did notice it separates and needs a good shake.
Regards,
Bob
hi, I was wondering what type of wood the blank is? very nice job
It’s a dyed burl. Not sure what the wood is as is was sent to me by a viewer.
Regards,
Bob
I don't think I want to do any pen that requires so many drill bits. But I really enjoyed your problem solving process.
Hello Chris,
It’s really not that bad, I bought a large set of bits a while back For Bespoke turning so luckily I had what I needed.
Regards,
Bob
Question about the PSI collet chuck, would you buy it again, are you happy with it?
That blank reminded me of the time I turned some spalted maple, and as I got closer to the final shape the spalting was almost totally gone!
I really like my PSI collet Chuck, I’ve had great experiences with it and would buy it again because the price Is right.
Hi Bob 👋 👋 👋 👋 its to bad you don't have some of the dyed CA glue I bought some a my local Woodcraft store today I bought the dark brown its almost black but they do have other colors I saw some red,blue,and I think they have yellow. So maybe you can buy for Future use I don't have any idea as of the Shelf life. Hope this is of use for you.
I’m not a fan of the dyed C/A glues. They do seem to be catching on.
Regards,
Bob
@RJBWoodTurner ok thanks I'll try it out for you and let you know how it works.
Bob you think that the manufacturer would use metal on all those parts that you have to turn down. Im wondering if you could complain to the man about what you encountered that maybe they could how they make them. Also you did a great job the pen 🖊.
Hello Ray,
The parts seem to be of good quality. Making them out of metal would be a price increase for the kit and may put it out of the buying range of many people.
When I made a second and third of this pen, I didn’t have the same troubles so I have to assume I was part of the problem.
Regards,
Bob
Is there a reason why you didnt turn the entire blank at once? You mocked it up as one piece why not turn the whole thing at once? Your fit and finish would have been perfect that way. Would love to see a video with that method.
There is a mandrel for the cap and one for the body. I guess you could turn it between centers. I just never put any thought into turning them that way.
Regards,
Bob
Green rotey
Linda looks like it.
Well Bob I liked the way the pen turned out but I wouldn't buy that kit because of all the things went through to get everything Aligned its just to much work for me. And again great job.
Most of what went wrong was my fault. These are wonderful kits.
Regards,
Bob
You know what would stop that from happening is a soft plastic washer bet😢the pen cap and the mandrel stop it makes it so it’s not so tight on the mandrel
Thank you David.
Regards,
Bob
Wow Bob you they would of made those parts out metal instead of plastic.
A metal cap insert would be nice. This is an awesome kit. I give it a 9.8 out of 10.
Regards,
Bob
Bob didn't you need to sand those components.
I didn’t but I probably should have. The epoxy would have had a better grip. Please do sand if you make this kit.
Regards,
Bob
Its to bad you couldn't find a metal insert so it could take the place of the plastic insert.
Aluminum would be a cool option. I’ll be making another of this style pen very soon. I think it will go much smoother as I now have some practice.
Regards,
Bob